Crude futures are looking to reclaim the century mark

After a four-day rally, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) is poised to take a breather today, with the blue-chip index flirting with the flatline ahead of the bell. On the home front, investors are weighing news that the U.S. House of Representatives voted to suspend the debt ceiling until March 2015, and are awaiting earnings from Dow component Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) after the close. Overseas, meanwhile, traders are applauding solid export data out of China, and a rosy economic outlook from the Bank of England.

"The S&P 500 Index (SPX) boldly retook the 1,800 level, so that former resistance level should now act as support going forward," noted Schaeffer's Senior Trading Analyst Bryan Sapp. "Overhead, the next big level is 1,850, which is the site of the all-time highs that were rejected in January."

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"Despite the extreme recent strength in stocks, I'm not very impressed by the action underneath the surface," Sapp continued. "Small-cap stocks continue to lag other major sectors, and for the past two days, gold and mining stocks have led the rally. Before getting heavily involved on the long side again, and for the market to give the 'all clear,' I'd like to see some leadership by small-cap cyclical names."

Currencies and Commodities

The U.S. dollar index is fractionally higher this morning, up 0.1% at 80.74.

Elsewhere, crude oil is attempting to climb back atop the century mark, with the front-month contract 0.6% higher at $100.51 per barrel.

Meanwhile, gold futures are poised to snap their five-session winning streak. At last check, April-dated gold is down 0.02% at $1,289.50 an ounce.